Steelworker activists are the key to the success of our union, and to give them the skills that they need to carry out the work of the union, we have many options to provide them with the tools that they need. Our Education program has many options to meet the needs of our members and you can find more information on education in this section.
How to plan and book an education course
Requests for schools/courses are made to your staff representative, who will coordinate with the District. To ensure there is adequate time to assign instructors, prepare materials and ship materials to the location of the school, we ask that a list of participants be submitted to the District office at least three weeks prior to the date of the school. There is a minimum requirement of ten students per class. However, there are times when due to special circumstances, that requirement cannot be met, for example, if a Local is preparing for negotiations and requests a Collective Bargaining Course for its bargaining committee, which is less than ten. In that case, the President or Staff Representative would make the request with the reason for the special circumstances. We also recommend a maximum of twenty students per class. Wood Council Locals may also contact the Wood Council Chair or the District Education Coordinator directly.
read moreFamily and community education
The Family and Community Education Fund provides support to participating locals to engage with members and their families and communities. Family and Community Education Fund has supported activities like:
- Steelworkers Summer, where members’ children work at summer jobs in a USW district or national office to learn more about what our union does.
- Family Education Days, where local unions host picnics and fun days for the whole family and wider community.
- Subsidies to local unions to send young members to NextGen, district and national conferences.
Now, the Fund is expanding to support more activities at the local, district and national level in four themes.
LEARN MOREScholarships
embers and their families are eligible for scholarships and paid internships. You can apply for both Canada-wide opportunities and the District awards. Don’t miss your opportunity to apply for Steelworker Scholarship.
learn moreRudychuk Scholarship
Bill Rudychuk was a Steelworker staff representative in District 3. Working primarily in mining communities, Bill was always a strong supporter of Steelworker education. In the mid-1990s, Bill passed away, leaving $100,000 to the Steelworkers for education scholarships. The Canadian Directors of the Steelworkers are pleased to offer the Rudychuk Scholarship Placement Program, giving activists opportunities to apply their skills alongside servicing staff representatives in this unique mentoring program.
learn moreDistrict 3 School
Every year, the district brings together steelworkers from across Western Canada to participate in a number of different courses. The next school is scheduled for Oct 2-7, 2022 in Kimberley, B.C.
Click here for more information and to register for the 2022 District 3 school.
Be more than a bystander, breaking the silence on gender-based violence
Developed by the End Violence Association of BC, with partnership from the BC Lions, a number of USW Spokesmen men have been trained to deliver presentations that confront gender based violence and the importance of speaking up to prevent violence against women. This program addresses the various forms of gender-based violence, including sexual assault, physical assault, or emotional abuse by an intimate partner; physical or sexual abuse by family members or others and sexual harassment. Instead of taking traditional approaches, this program will provide tools to address harassment and violence by giving participants the tools to interrupt the behaviour and be more than a bystander. If you would like to book a presentation for your local or workplace, please contact Dayna at dsykes@usw.ca.